I think people whould wear clothing for warmth and protection when necessary. I just also think that if it isnt' necessary, then they shoudl have the option of whether or nto to wear clothes.

Did you know it's legal to be without a top (women) in NY City?

@cyndiann Does that apply to men, too? Seems to me that men go around bare-chested quite a lot in hot weather. No reason why women shouldn't as well, if they want to.

@CeliaVL well yeah and that's the point. Women should be treated the same as men under the law, including being topfree.

At one time women kept ankles hidden, said it was too sexy. You adjust and get used to it. Nobody hides ankles anymore, next is breasts.It's that simple.

@NotConvinced Well said.

@NotConvinced The door could swing both ways on that one, and such a scenario can get tricky. At first it would seem that those who require clothing to be worn are the ones pushing their beliefs, but if you know someone could be uncomfortable with you being naked, wouldn't you think it's a bit childish to continue making them uncomfortable when it certainly would not be necessary to continue doing so? I see this as a situation where both sides could play the I'm offended card, so finding middle ground on that can get tricky. If you read all the comments, you would see one other guy said similar to what I just mentioned in regards to being childish and inconsiderate (I think those were the exact words he used). I'm going to message you later and explain another reason why I commented as I did

@snytiger6 I forgot to mention that I would be against throwing anyone in jail due to public nudity, it's absurd to punish like that over a victimless crime.

@NotConvinced we aren't there to be seen! It's not about that.

Right you are on that.

Sounds like some fond memories there.

One of my best vacations was at a nudist retreat where I never had to bother getting dressed for nine days and nights.

@SpikeTalon

@snytiger6 in the US?

@crazycurlz Yes, a nudist group rented a campground from a Jewish organization for a kidn of retreat in the Malibu (CA) hills.

@snytiger6 I honestly don't know whether you'd find me out there this days. My life took unexpected turns after those days on the dunes. If there a certain type of person, (demographic) that does nudist groups in the US? white, educated? just suggestions...I have no idea...

@crazycurlz I remember visiting Squaw Mountain Ranch, which is the oldest nudist club West of the Mississippi,. Anyway, I found it interesting that many members there were nudists when young, then they got married, moved to middle class neighborhoods and raised kids and after the kids were grown and moved out they went back to beign nudists again.

My impulse was to feel sorry for the kids who weren't raised as nudists. However, the areas where they lived and worked while raising their kids may nto have been the best circumstances to be nudists.

Yes, the key here is in the freedom to choose.

I think I get your point there.

As another respondent pointed out, each person should be free to choose. Laws agains tnudity are mor eaobut controlling people than they are abbout providing any actual benefit to society.

One of my favorite T-Shirts reads "If we were meant to be naked, we'd have been born that way."

They changed the laws in San Francisco a few years ago. Except for special events nudity is now illegal in most parts of San Francisco. Still legal at the nude beaches though.

I can understand why they changed the laws. A few guys were walking around with genital piercings and/or cock rings, which kind of draws attention to the genitals, and in my view, that crossed the line where instead of just the freedom to be nude, and moved towards serializing their nudity by specifically drawing attention to the genitalia.

Do a Google search for World Naked Bike Ride and your nearest major city and chances are you will find one. In Portland Oregon, they have over 10,000 participants each year, but I am told that Portland has one of the worlds largest. London's first ride had between two and three hundred.

Anyway, The World Naked Bike Rides are protests about the continuing dependence on fossil fuels. That message usually gets lost in the news coverage though, but that is the original purpose of the rides.

In the U.S. the largest nudist organization is AANR (American Association for Nude Recreation). However, there should be similar national organization in Canada, the UK, Australia, etc... tht organize and promote platonic nude recreational activities.

I think the reasons probably vary greatly, but the majority have probably been taught to be ashamed of their own bodies, and also taught to shame other people's bodies as well, as a way of trying to make themselves feel superior.

@snytiger6 No. LOL

Nudity is legal in USA....full nudity.

@DUCHESSA Anywhere, any time? Strewth!

@Petter There are hundred of Nudist resorts and beaches allover USA...I have been to several of them.

@DUCHESSA I don't mean in resorts - I mean in areas completely open (unrestricted access) to the general public, such as beaches, sports grounds, streets, etc. Here in Spain nudist beaches have unrestricted access, but must have signs to inform those who do not wish to see others naked about it. Most nudist beaches in Spain have a mix of clothed and unclothed (textile and non-textile) users.

@Petter Until Katrina did away with the dunes....you had Gunnisson Beach (Long Island), field # 5 as a "Clothes optional beach". In New Jersey you have Sandy Hook....and I don't remember the names of other beaches in the country that are, also, nudists.

The signs are to inform the people just in case they don't want to be in a nude area. I was in Costa Natura.

@DUCHESSA Much like Spain, then. Did you know that the beach, and the area immediately inland from it, are state property, and cannot be fenced off, except for reasons of national importance? I love that law!
I've just seen from your profile that you came from Argentina. That's a country my wife and I have often said we would love to visit, as it appears to have areas similar to Kenya. (We're both Kenya bred.) ...and nowadays we could even communicate easily!

@Petter Well, are you talking about the jungle in the north of the country? The south of Argentina is cold, with mountain lakes, glaciers and a chain of mountains that runs north-south and is eternally snowed. Later I tell you about "la Pampa".

@DUCHESSA Kenya has a small amount of Jungle, but most of it is pretty arid and ideal ranching country. My grandmother owned a cattle ranch that had 1.2 miles of river running through the bottom, right hand corner of it,

@Petter Argentina is not arid at all...See "the Pampa"

@DUCHESSA I shall.

I look at it as religion attempts to control us by instilling feelings of fear, guilt and shame, as a way of manipulating us. Cults do the same thing, only to a much greater extent.

Naturism/Nudism helps people get over feeling shame about their bodies and their appearance. Children raised i Naturist/Nudist homes have a great deal more self confidence and self esteem, because they were nto taught to be ashamed of their bodies and who they are.

The rest of us have to "recover" from a body shaming cultural poractice3 rooted in religion. Even many here, on this site, who have given up religious beliefs still unknowingly have kept a lot of dogma rooted in religion, such as the fear, guilt and shame regarding nudity.